Onion cleaner and grader machine



1 2- H. A. MURRAY "ONION'CLEAN'ER AND GRADER'MACHINE Filed Jan. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 V 1 gwuvwbo'b ffiMu/rray v l-i. A. MURRAY 3 1;

ONION CLEANER AND GRADERMACH INE:

Filied Jan; 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet'2 INMQ V Ni

Nov. 24, 1942. v MURRAY 7 7 2,303,222

' V ONION CLEANER AND GRADER MACHINE Filed Jan. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-She'et 3 I. v V 3 [.0. &.

V fray Nov. 24, 1942. A MURRAY 7 ONION CLEANER AND GRADER MACHINE Fil ed Jan. 6, 1941 4 sheefls-fslfxeet 4 v fray m Patented Nov. 24, 1942 V I 7 2,303,222 ONION CLEANERVAND GRADER MACHINE Henry A. Murray, Garrett, Ind. Application January 6, 1941, :SeriallNo. 373,347

- Claims;

This invention relates to. vegetable cleaning and sizing devices and more particularly to a machine for cleaning onions, potatoes or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine of this type which is adapted to sort or,

size the onions or other globular vegetables and at the same time to remove the dirt adhering thereto.

the side thereof opposite from that shown in Figure l. r Y

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-.-B of Figure 1.

Another object of this invention is to provide Y a machine of this type wherein at least one conyeyor forming a part of the machine is so constructed and arranged as to convey or guide two sizes of the articles in one direction and to convey the dirt and waste-material in the opposite direction.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a machine of this type, an improved sorting or sizing drum whichwill also loosen and remove transverse duplex conveyor, r

A still furtherobject of this invention is to provide an improved sorting table and conveyor which is adapted to not only convey the articles from the sizing drum, but also to rotate or tumble the articles as they are being moved in order that the undesired articles may be observed and manually removed from the table. V

- To the foregoing objects and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown an embodiment of the'invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall'within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a detail side elevation partly broken away and in section of a vegetable cleaning and sizing device constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken through the device. r I

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section-take on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.-

end thereof vertical angle members I1.

the'dirt from the articles for discharge onto a.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken I on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 61s a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure '7 isa fragmentary side elevationpartly' broken away and insection'of the machine on Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line '9-'a of Figure 3.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal sec tion at the delivery end of the device.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l5 designates generally a frame structure which is iormed of horizontally disposed elongated side angle members l6, which have secured to one angle members ll extend below thehorizontal rame members It and constitute legs or sup porting means for one end of the frame struc- The frame structure l5 adjacent the ture to. end thereof opposite from the angle members or legs ll'nasmounted thereon, a pair of wheels 18 which are-carried by'an axle l9 extending transversely below the frame member IS.

The frame structure has mounted therein a combined hopper and elevating unit 20, which is disposed at the receiving end of the frame and also has mounted therein a combined sorting l and cleamng unit generally designated as 2i, which is adapted to receive the articles from the The frame f receiving and elevating unit 20. structure 15 also includes a combined sorting table structure and delivery unit generally des-. ignated'ras which extends from the delivery end of" the sorting and cleaning unit 2|;

. The receiving and elevating unit 20 includes a receiving hopper formed of vertical side walls 23 and a downwardly and forwardly inclined bottom wall '24. The hopper wall 24is inclined in' the direction'of an upwardly and forwardly inclined elevator or conveyor 25, which is constructed in the form of a flexible web 26 having cleats 21 extending transversely thereacross. The conveyor 25 is trained atits lower end about a lower idling drum 28,and is trained at 7 its upper end about an upper drum secured to i a driving shaft 29. A sprocket 30 is fixed to the shaft 29 and a chain or flexible driving member 3| is trained about the sprocket 30. The chain 3! as shown in'Figure 8,--is trained about a lower sprocket 32, which isfixed to a shaft 33.

The shaft 33. extends horizontally between the sides of theframe l5, beingjournalled in bear-@- ings 34, which are secured to vertically disposed angle members 35. The angle members 35 are secured at their lower ends to the lower frame members l6 and also have secured thereto side wall boards 36 which constitute side walls for the conveyor 25. The shaft 33 is connected by means .ofeachainjfl to a countershaft 38- journalled in the frame structure I5, below the shaft 33. The

shaft 38 has a sprocket 39 fixed thereto about which the chain 31 engages.

A relatively large pulley or driven member 40 is fixed to the countershaft 38 and. a flexible driving member 4| engages about the pulley 40. A motor or power member 42 is carried by the frame structure I5 and the driving belt 4| engages about a driving pulley 43 secured to the drive shaft 44 of the motor 42. The motor 42 is adapted to be connected to a suitable source of wall or partition 46. The chute or guide member 45 is adapted to discharge the articles such as onions or potatoes into the receiving end of a combined cleaning and sizing drum structure generally designated as 41. The drum structure 41 is formed of two aligned front and rear sections, the rear section being formed of a plu-,

rality of parallel spaced slats 48 which are mounted on the outer periphery of spaced edgewise alined rear andintermediate a pair of cylindrical members 49 and 50 respectively. .The slats 48 are secured to the cylindrical member 49 by means of fastening devices'5l and are also secured to the intermediate-cylindrical member 50 by fastening devices 52. I

The second section forming the drum 41 comprises a plurality of parallel spaced slats or bars 53, which at their inner ends are secured as by fastening devices .54 to the intermediate cylindrical member 50. A forward cylindricalmember engages interiorly of the circle formed by the slats53 and the slats 53 may be secured to the forward cylindrical member 55 by fastening devices 56. Preferably a ring-shaped holding member 51 engages about the rear ends of the slats 48 and a second ring-shaped holding member 58 engages about the forward ends of the slats 48. A ring-shaped member 59 engages about the rear ends of the slats 53 and a second ring-shaped holding or clamping member. 60 engages about the forward ends of the slats 53. The drum 41 is preferably stiffened or reinforced by providing .at least four circumferentially spaced apart elongated bars 60a which extend the vertical legs and 66 respectively of a U-shaped supporting member generally designated as 61. The bight 68 of the U-shaped member 61 extends between the side walls 69 and 10 of the frame structure I5. Preferably the rollers 62 and 63 are supported in a position for engagement with the tracks 6| and 62 by supporting members 1| and 12 carried by the legs or extensions 65 and 66, respectively.

An upper roller 13 is rotatably supported from a bracket 14 secured to the side wall 69 above the axial center of the drum 41 and in the present instance above the lower roller 63. An intermediate toothed band 15 is fixed to the drum 41 between the intermediate bands 58 and 59 and a flexible drum operating member 16 in the form of a chain or the like is trained about the band 15. The chain or driving member 16 is trained about an idler-pulley 11 which is rotatable or. a shaft 18. The shaft 18 is carried by supporting members 13 fixed to the side wall 69 and the side wall 69 is provided with an opening through which 'onerun of the chain 16 loosely engages. A second idler pulley 8| is carried by a shaft 82 which is supported by brackets 82a fixed to the inner side of the wall 69 below the pulley 11.

' bevel gear 89.

The chain 16 at its lower portion is trained about a sprocket 83 which is fixed to a rotatable shaft 84." The shaft 84 extends horizontally beneath the drum structure 41 and is rotatably carried by a pair of vertically disposed frame members 85 and 86. through a bearing 81 carried by an upright angle member 88 which is fixed to the side wall 69 adjacent the forward end thereof and the forward end of the shaft 84 has fixed thereto a The bevel ,gear 89 meshes with a right angularly disposed bevel gear 90, which is mounted on the countershaft 33 at the end thereof opposite from the sprocket 32.

w The articles which are sorted or sized by the sizing bars 48 and 53 are adapted to drop downwardly below the drum 41. A depending forwardly inclined rear hopper or guide wall 9| having flanged opposite ends 92 is secured between the side walls 69 and 10, respectively, and a depending rearwardly inclined forward hopper wall 93 having end flanges 94 is secured by fastening devices 95 between the 'side walls 69 and 10 forwardly from the rear hopper or guide member 9|. The walls 9|, 92 are arranged below the bars from the rear cylindrical member 49 to the forward cylindrical member 55. These reinforcing or stiffening bars 60a engage over the periphery of the intermediate cylindrical member 50 and engage interiorly of the ring-shaped clamping or SI and 62. The rollers 63 and 64 are secured to 75 48. A forward downwardly and rearwardly inclined hopper member comprising a plate 96 having end flanges 91, is secured by fastening devices 98 to the side walls 69 and 10 below the forward sizing bars 53.

The articles which are guided by the hopper walls 92 and 93 and the hopper wall 96 are discharged onto the upper run 99 of a transversely disposed conveyor I00. The conveyor I00 is inclined to the vertical and comprises a pair of chains IOI, transverse bars I02 and a flexible sheet I03 fixed to the barsIIlZ. are trained about sprockets I 0|a fixed to the shaft 84 and also about sprockets |0Ib carried by a shaft 84a.- The shaft 84a extends between side members I04, which engage on the opposite edges of the flexible conveyor I00.v The conveyor I00 is preferably inclined to, the vertical so that when the articles drop downwardly from the drum 41, these articles will roll downwardly over the upper run 99 of the conveyor I00 and will be discharged through the lower portion of the :vall10, which is formed with a delivery opening 04a. 7

The shaft 84 also engages The chains IOI downwardly over the conveyor 100.

"end III thereof disposed in upwardly spaced re- A partition cit-dividing wall I is formed innot mix as these articles roll downwardly on the run 99 The partition I05'at its lower or delivery end is provided with a flared delivery mem-- ber I 06, which is secured by means of anextensio'ri I01 and a fastening device I 03 to the side wall I0. A pair of ,suitable receivers such as a pair of bags or the like may be positioned below the. they roll The conveyor I00 is adapted-toponvey e loose dirt upwardly for discharge through an pening- I 09, which is formed in the wall 69. this manner"'the loose dirt or undesired material is discharged-on one side of the frame structure I5 and the vegetables or other articlesv are disbelow the delivery opening -I 04a and divider I06 to receive the articles as charged into suitable receivers on the opposite side of the frame I5 as the conveyor I00 travels in the direction of the arrows, Figure 3,;and the dirt will cling to the upper face of the'yrun 99 which travels rearwardly and K upwardly from the opening I04a. V A forward end wall H0 is secured between the side wall members 69 and I0 and has the lower lation to an article guiding plate or member 2 which is inclined to the vertical and is secured between the side wall members 69 and I0. The guiding member I I2 is disposed in alignment with the forward cylindrical member 55 sothat the larger size articles will roll forwardlyifrom the forward, cylindrical member 55 and'downwardly over the guide member H2. The movable sorting table and conveyor 22 comprises stationary side wall members I I3 and I I4 which extend forwardly from the side wall members 69 and I0 and which are secured between the upright angle members I1 and 88.

An endless conveyor member generally designated as I I5 engages between the side wall members H3 and H4 and comprises a pair of endless chains II6 which are trained about sprockets II'I carried by a rear shaft H8. The chain H6 at their forward ends are trained about a pair of forward driving sprockets II9 secured to a forward rotatable shaft I which is journalled between the side wall members H3 and H4. The pair of chains II6 have secured therebetween a plurality of spaced apart slats'or cleats I2I, which are adapted on the upper runs of the chains II6 to move the articles forwardly over a stationary table I22.

The table I22 comprises a rear perforate section formed of parallel longitudinal bars I23 supported between the side members H3 and H4 by transverse supporting bars I24. The table I22 is also formed with a forward imperforate section downwardly converging hopper walls I28.

of downwardly converging hopper walls I whichare secured between the side wall members ,I I3 and H4 adjacent the forward'ends thereof.

A forwardhopper wall I3I is secured to the v A rear hopper wall I32 is secured to the rear ends of the inclined walls I30 and the side walls I I3 and II4.' A suitable receiver such as a bag or the like is adapted to be disposed below the hopper I29 so that the articles droppingthro'ugh the hopper I29 will be received in'a collector or recelver; In order to provide a means whereby the articles moving forwardly over the upper runs of the chains-j will not contact with the chains II6,-I have provideda pair of longitudinally extending guard members I 33 and I34 which are secured to the'inner sides of the: side walls H3 and H4 as sliownin-Figure 4. The shaft I20 has secured thereto a drivingsprocket I35 about which a chain I 36 engages. 'The chainn I36i'also engages about a sprocket I3! fixed to the shaft 33. I I

' In the use and operation of this combined sizing and cleaning'device, the articles, which are in the form of a flexible sheet I25 having transverse ribs I26 on the upper surface thereof. The bars I23 are spaced apart so as to form guideways to keep the material thereon in substantially parallel alignment. The sheet I25 is supported below the upper run of the conveyor II5 by means of transverse supporting bars I21 fixed to the sides H3 and H4. The forward end of the sheet [25 has a downwardly inclined delivery member I28 extending therefrom. The articles rolling over the plate I28 are adapted to be discharged into a delivery hopper generally designated as The delivery hopper I29 comprises a pair form the forward part of the lower portion of the,

removed from .the ground are placedin the hopper unit 20. These articles will move downwardly over the inclined hopper wall and will be picked up andcarried upwardly by the elevator 25 for discharge into the rear end of the sizing drurn 41. The rear section of the sizing drum 4'I has the slats 48 thereof spaced apart a dis tance less than the spacing between the forward slats 53 so that the smaller articles will drop downwardly between the slats 48 and will be guided by the hopper members 9| and 93 onto the conveyor I00. The second size of articles which are fixed by the sizing slats 53 will drop downwardly into the hopper 96 and move from 'undesi'red material which is removed from the articles by the action of the rotating drum 4'! will be carried upwardly and will be discharged by the upper run 99 of the conveyor I00 through the discharge opening I09 in the side wall 69.

The articles remaining in the drum 4! which are too large to passthrough the second series of slats 53 will be discharged onto the guide member H2 and onto the spaced bars I23 form- I ing the rear section of the combined sorting'and conveying table structure 22. The conveyor means I I 5 will move the larger articles forwardly and as these articles arelmoved forwardly by means of the slats or cleats I2I, they will be partially rotated or tumbled by engagement with the ribs I26 of the flexible sheet I25. The turning over or tumbling of the articles at the delivery end of the machine will permit the undesired or damaged articles to be readily picked off of the moving table so that the articles-which are finally discharged into the hopper I 29 will be'undamaged articles ready for the market.

The space between the lower end of the wall I I0 and guiding plate II2 provides a front outlet for the unit 2|. The lower ones of the slats 53 unit 2I with a forward outlet; Thelower ones of the slats 48 form the rear part of the lower portion of the unit 2I with adear outlet. By this arrangement the unit 2| is formed with three outlets for the cleaned and sized articles.

What'I claim is: 1. In a cleaning and sizing machine for vegetable articles; :a horizontally disposed revoluble combined cleaning and sizing unit for the articles having an irtake at its rear for the articles tobe cleaned and sized, anoutlet at its front for cleaned articles of the largest size, a forward outlet formed by the forward part of its lower portion for cleaned articles smaller in size than the articlesdischarged by said front outlet and a rear outlet formed by the rear part of its lower portion for cleaned articles of a size smaller than the articles discharged by said forward outlet, said unit comprising a front, an intermediate and a rear vertically disposed annular member arranged in parallel'spaced relation, a set of spaced parallel forward sizing slats disposed circumferentially of and secured upon portions of the outer periphery .of said front member and to spaced parts of the forward side of the outer periphery of said intermediate member, a set of spacedparallel rear said reinforcing slats and the other encompassslats extending from said front to said rear member and being secured upon other parts of the outer peripheries of the said several members, a pair of spaced parallel clamping bands, one encompassing the said forward sizing slats and the said reinforcing slats and both being secured to said intermediate member, a second pair of spaced parallel, clamping bands, one encompassing the reinforcing slats and forward sizing slats and being secured to said front member and the other encompasisng said rear sizing slats and the said reinforcing slats'and being secured to said-rear member, a fixed peripherally toothed-like driving means for said unit encompassing said reinforcing slats and the inner ends of said sizing slats between said first mentioned pair of clamping bands, and a pair of fixed circular tracks encompassing said slats, one located inwardly of and in proximity to one. of thesecond mentioned pairs of clamping bands and the other located'inwardly of and; in proximitytothe other band of such pair; 4

ingsaid rearsizing slats and said reinforcing slats and both being secured to said intermediate member, a second pair of spaced parallel clamping bands, one encompassing the reinforcing slats and forward sizing slats and being secured to said front member and the other, encompassing said rear sizing slats and the said reinforcing slats and being secured to said rear member;

2. In a cleaning and sizing machine for vegetable articles, a horizontally disposed revoluble combinedcleaning and sizing unit for the articles having an intake at its rear for the articles to be cleaned and sized, an outlet at its front for cleaned articles of the largest size, a forward outlet formed by the forward part of its lower portion for cleaned articles smaller in size than the articles discharged by said front outlet and a rear outlet formed by the rear part of its lower portion for cleaned articles of a size smaller than the articles discharged by said forward outlet, said unit comprising a front, an intermediate and a rear vertically disposed annular member arranged in parallel spaced relation, a set of spaced parallel forward sizing slats disposed circumferentially'of and secured upon portions of the outer periphery of said front member and to. spaced parts of the forward side of the outer periphery of said intermediate member, a set of spaced parallel rear sizing slats disposed circumferentially of and secured upon spaced parts of the rear side said rearmember, the spaces between the forward 3. In a cleaning and sizing machine for vegetable articles and of that type including a rotatable cylindricalcombined cleaning and sizing unit having an outlet atits front; a conveyor unit inclining upwardly from its rear to its front, leading forwardly from said outlet and including a pair. of spaced opposeddriven endless chains, spaced supporting slats for the articles connecting said chains together, a stationary table arranged below the upper runs of said chains and including an imperforate flexible forward section provided on its upper face with spaced transverse ribs and a rear section formed of longitudinal bar-like parts disposed in parallel relation, and a ,dependmg hopper at the forward ends of said chains.

4. In a cleaning and sizing machinefor vegetable articles and of that type including a rotatable cylindrical combined cleaning and sizing unit having an outlet at its front: a conveyor unit inclining upwardly from its rear to its front, leading forwardly from said outlet and including a pair of spaced opposed driven endless chains, spacedsupporting slats for the articles connecting said-chains together, a stationary table arranged below the upper runs of said chains and including an imperforate flexible fprward section provided on its upper face with spaced transverse ribs and a. rear section formed of longitudinal bar-like parts disposed in parallel relation, a depending hopper at the forward ends of said chains, and an inclined delivery member at the forward end of said table.

5. In a cleaning and sizing machine for vegetable articles and of that type including a rotatable cylindrical combined cleaning and sizing unit having an outlet at its front; a conveyor unit inclining upwardly from its rear to its front, leading forwardly from said outlet and including a slats being greater than the spaces between the rear slats, a set of spaced parallel reinforcing pair of spaced opposed driven endless chains, spaced supporting slats for the articles connecting said chains together, a stationary table arranged below the upper runs of said chains and including an imperforate flexible forward section provided on its upper face with spaced transverse ribs and a rear section formed of longitudinal bar-like parts disposed in parallel relation, a depending hopper at the forward ends of said chains, and spaced means to prevent the articles contacting with the chains.

HENRY A. MURRAY. 

